Silent PSU

[Mangeese]

I have just bought the Fracta Design Define R4, and i am really into silent computing.

So, I need a new PSU wich is around 450-550 watts and either is passive, and reliable or has the smart feature where the fan turns off, when it is under a specific load. I am using. Two front 140 mm fans in the front of the R4 and i have removed the large HDD bay, and i have one rear 120mm fan, my gpu is passively cooled so that is all my airflow, of course my cpu fan is also running, but is running very low and does not really affect the flow around the PSU. The PSU does not have to be modular, only silent, and either black or white, as it would look nice with the other white details in the R4.

please help... :D

- The Manly ManGeese

[CaptRex635]

How about the Rosewill Silent Night 500W Passive PSU? Its 80 Plus Platinum 

[Guest]

I know Seasonic have a fanless PSU but I think it's about $180 for the 550w model. 

[IVIeLt]

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=15_972&products_id=22431

 

Excellent little unit.

 

In all honesty though most PSU fans don't even kick in until your under load, at which point either your cpu or gpu fans will ramp up and be as loud or louder anyways, so unless your rig is super quiet it's not worth the effort.

[Guest Teddybear]

You should get a Corsair or Seasonic Gold (or Platinum) rated PSU. These are as quiet as it gets.

(Definitely avoid buying stuff like Rosewill)

[WayneKIng]

if you have really good airflow you can get one of those fanless ones i forget the brand but yeah dont put on in something like a prodigy

[killerx525]

The Seasonic fanless PSU are legendary but it comes at a price. 

[Brian]

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=15_972&products_id=22431

 

Excellent little unit.

 

In all honesty though most PSU fans don't even kick in until your under load, at which point either your cpu or gpu fans will ramp up and be as loud or louder anyways, so unless your rig is super quiet it's not worth the effort.

I agree with your assessment of the Seasonic there.

 

Even if the fans are spinning slowly, they can still be loud.  Mangeese clearly states that he's into silent computing, not "hope my hoover graphics card is louder than my PSU" computing.   ;)

 

That said, there are extremely quiet fan-cooled PSUs out there. I bought an Enermax Modu87+ 700W and it is inaudible almost all of the time.  And I don't mean so quiet compared to the system that you can't hear it, I mean inaudible.  I've only heard it a few times after I shut the system down, because the fans keep running for a minute after you shut down to cool the components.  This was also after some marathon WOT play, so the system was crazy hot.  So I can personally vouch for Enermax, they know their stuff.

 

Not sure if you've ever been to SPCR (http://www.silentpcreview.com/), but they have quite a few PSU reviews, and can give you a good level of base knowledge about choosing a silent PSU.  I also frequent HardwareSecrets, as their PSU analysis is usually very in-depth. 

 

Did you have a specific price limit in mind?

[IVIeLt]

I agree with your assessment of the Seasonic there.

 

Even if the fans are spinning slowly, they can still be loud.  Mangeese clearly states that he's into silent computing, not "hope my hoover graphics card is louder than my PSU" computing.   ;)

 

That said, there are extremely quiet fan-cooled PSUs out there. I bought an Enermax Modu87+ 700W and it is inaudible almost all of the time.  And I don't mean so quiet compared to the system that you can't hear it, I mean inaudible.  I've only heard it a few times after I shut the system down, because the fans keep running for a minute after you shut down to cool the components.  This was also after some marathon WOT play, so the system was crazy hot.  So I can personally vouch for Enermax, they know their stuff.

 

Not sure if you've ever been to SPCR (http://www.silentpcreview.com/), but they have quite a few PSU reviews, and can give you a good level of base knowledge about choosing a silent PSU.  I also frequent HardwareSecrets, as their PSU analysis is usually very in-depth. 

 

Did you have a specific price limit in mind?

 

I know he's into silent computing from his post, I'm in the same boat and I don't really compromise when I build my rigs in terms of noise output. But I'm just giving a second opinion in case he's not ready to drop $230 on a psu when he could get a good quality psu with a fan that might only just be barely audable sometimes for half the price.

[Mangeese]

Thanks for all the answers, they look very good!

A little update; Yes, I have a Price limit: around 100-150 $ 

and about the gpu, and cpu fans; I have thought about buying a passive cooler for the cpu too, so the only fans are the two front fans, and one rear. But the big problem is; is there enough airflow to have a passive cooled PSU?

[Brian]

IVIeLt: Yeah, fair play, not a lot of people are willing to pay that much to run fanless.

 

I personally wouldn't run a fanless PSU on top of a fanless GPU or CPU.  Just too much heat for a few case fans to deal with effectively.

 

 

How about this: http://ncix.com/products/?sku=78189&vpn=FD-PSU-TS2B-650W&manufacture=Fractal%20Design&promoid=1304

It's a Fractal Tesla R2 and is on sale atm.  I haven't seen much about these units, but as a Fractal product I am sure they're quality.

 

 

Or maybe this: http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=33_443&item_id=039393

It's a solid Seasonic unit that's got a fanless mode so most of the time it wouldn't even be on.  Also has a great discount on it.

 

 

Forgot to ask: what country do you live in?

Edited May 5, 2013 by Brian

[KaareKanin]

Fractals newton 1000 watter runs with passive cooling (no fan) up to 500w. If the PSU is great or not I don't know.

Edit: Thanks to Linus i now know that it is. http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story6&reid=339

[GaZinggEr]

Kingwin Stryker, own one, VERRY relaaybe, fanless, no coil whine, 500W @ 80+ platnum / 600W @ 80+ gold, http://kingwin.com/products/cate/power_supplies/str_500.asp

[jimi]

seasonic

[joelthezombie15]

seasonic has a fanless model

[Mdgtman91]

corsair ax series PSU

fan turns off at low power

[Glenwing]

http://www.amazon.com/Seasonic-ATX12V-EPS12V-Supply-SS-520FL/dp/B009VV56TO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1367816224&sr=8-3&keywords=seasonic+520w

 

Fanless and top quality, although I'd say a SeaSonic X650 would be a cheaper option.  The fan doesn't spin up until it needs to which is pretty much never if you're not putting that much load on it.  And when it does spin up it's very quiet.

[onionring]

seasonic 1000 watts psu is the same psu as the passive 500watts one (just with a fan)

so at idle (and a whole lot more load) that psu will be passive.

Didn t check the price btw

[Glenwing]

seasonic 1000 watts psu is the same psu as the passive 500watts one (just with a fan)

so at idle (and a whole lot more load) that psu will be passive.

Didn t check the price btw

No, they are not the same unit :)

520W Fanless

1000W

[hamsor]

i dont know if you are living in a country where you can buy beQuiet products but their PSUs are very very silent. I have the Dark Power Pro and you cant hear it.

[Mangeese]

Thank you very much for all of your answers, i am sorry i hav'nt been answering, but i have been busy.

And from all of your answer i think i am either going with a bequit or a seasonic, have not yet deseided... But thanks again!

[PBaines]

Corsair AX***i series PSU's have a smart feature, and the fan is off until a certain percentage of load (cannot remember off the top of my head) and is super silent.

I never hear the fan, though it spins at 100% for first 5 seconds of powerup which can be irritating but it is silent after that

[Scia]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/q9fL

 

this ^^

[Inehmo]

If you can get Super Flower in your region something like Super Flower Golden King 550W should be good for you. Solid PSUs with semipassive fan.

Biggest benefit comparing to Seasonic, is that they are waaaaay cheaper and quality is more or less the same.